Material-handling equipment



M. R. BUTLER Nov. 9 1926.

MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed April 9, 1925 q j-a M 0min REUUEPMORGAN R. BUTLER, OF WAUKE$HA, WISCONSIN.

MATERIAL-HANDLING EQUIPMENT.

-App1ieation filed April 9, 1925. Serial No. 21,875.

r the bin and hopper. lwith the: aboveand other objections'to devices ofthis character in mind,'this inone of its objects the provis wherebyready access may be ve for controlling the passage 'rom the supply binto the measwhereby the removal of any 1y readily accomplished and h adthereto for any purpose withstating the complete discharge of vision ofan improved hand-hole iitting access to the valve structure b cutting aportion from one wall of the measuring hopper, which portion proaclosure for the opening.

. "h the al.2ore and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceecs. invention resides in the novel constrictio'n,combmation and arrangement of ..--,antially hereinafter described 1.01particularly defined by the appended. clai 18, it being understood thatsuch in the precise embodiment of the losed invention may be made ascome i ithin the scope of the claims.

In the acconiipanying drawings, 1 have illustra ed one complete exampleof the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest mode I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of amaterial handling equipment embodying my invention, the up per portionof the supply hopper or bin and the lower portions of the measuringhoppers not being shown;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail view illustrating themanner of forming the hand-hole in the measuring hopper and theformation of the closure therefor, and

in the valve opening or passagebe- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure2 illustrating the hand-hole with its cover, aportion of the hand-holecover being broken away I .Reierring now more particularly to theaccompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates a, pair of spaced,parallel, channel beams, but one being shown, forming a support'tor asupply hopper or bin 6 which, in the present instance, is divided by apartition 7 to form a sand compartment 8 and a gravel compartment 9. Thebottom, or the supply bin or hopper is formed by a plate 10 extendingacross the beams 5, and the plate is provided with openings 11communicating with the respective compartments, but one being shown, andwith a measuring hopper, new about to be described.

The measuring hoppers 12-and 18 are supported from the beams 5 beneaththe'co1n partments 8 and 9, respectively, by suspension rods 14, thehoppers being connected with their respective compartments throughpassage-ways 15 extending between the beams 5, in the manner illustratedin Figure 1. The bottoms of the hoppers are provided with suitablereleasable closures, not shown, and valve or gate members 16 are movableacross the passage-ways 15 to control the fiow of material from thesupply bin to the hoppers. The gate or valve construction may be of anydesired type and the one illustrated in the drawing connecting thecompartment 9 with its measuring hopper 13 is of that type illustratedin my co-pending applica-,

tion, Serial Number 577,585, the-valves being controlled from a rod 17connected with a suitable control lever, not shown. I

Sticks or other debris are often foundi the material and frequentlydamage or 0bstruct the gate or valve members, thus preventing their fulloperation and, heretofore, it has been a di'liicult task to free suchajam or obstruction without disturbing the operation of the apparatus. Inthe accompanying drawing, 1 illustrate means for permitting the easyrelease of any obstruction without interfering, in any way, with theoperation of the apparatus.

Each measuring hopper has a hand-hole opening 18 formed in one side wallthereof adjacent its upper end which is normally closed by a door 19 ofthe construction hereinafter described. When the gate or'valve memberbecomes obstructed by a stick or other debris as illustrated in Figure1, the

gate or valve member 20 is moved to closed position as far as possibleafter the measuring hopper has filled and the contents of the measuringhopper then discharged and the hopper bottom immediately closed'again.

The door 19 is then removed andfthe' obstruction Withdrawn either by theoperator reaching his hand throughfithe opening 18 or else by pryingthrough the opening With a bar or other means. Likewise, if it isnecessary to make any repairs to the gate momber 16 "or its associatedparts, the same may be readily performed-through the opening 18 as willbe readily apparent. When the obstruction lias been removed or therepairs completed, the door 19 isrepl'accd and the gatememb'e'r thenopened it it is desired to I fill the measuring hopper.

The hand-hole opening l8 i's preferably formed by cutting a section ofthe hopper side wall therefrom by anfacetylene torch or any'other'means21 and the section Whiel'i is removed forms the closure 19, diagonalblocks 22 being secured across the corners oi the opening 18Jby Weldingor other means. Catch members are pivoted, as "at 2 h to opposite sidesof the opening 18 and provide means for readily removablysecuring theclosure 19 in position.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the aocom'ianying drawing it will be readily apparent to those skilled I in'theart to which an, invention of this charenter appertains that I providenovel and improved means for permitting access to the interiorolai'iiipparatus of the character described adjacent its control gate orvalve "and that the hand-hole and cover therefor is formed In a very"economical and effective manner.

cent its point of communication 'With the supply bin, and said openingbeing closed by a section of; the original material cut theretromto formthe opening.

'2. Inimmaterialhandling apparatus havmg a supply bin, a measuringhopper disposed therebeneath and connectable therewith-and avalve'member for controlling the flow of material from the bin tothehopper, the measuring hop-per having a hand-hole opening in its sideWall adjacent its point of communication with the supply bin and meansnorni'ally closing said hand-hole opening- Whereby access may be had tothe valve member to remove obstructionsto its opera'tien. V

1'11 a material handling apparatus having a supply bin, ameasuringhopper disposed therebeneath and connectable there- W'ith-andfa'valvemember iorcontrolling the flow "of material from the bin to the hopper,

the measuring hopper having a section cut irom' its s de Wall ad]acentlts point of con- -nection with the supply binto form a hanchole'through which access may be had-tothe valve member, and means forremovably se-- curing the section cut trom the hopper in formingthehandhole in the hole toprovide a closure therefor;

i. in a material handlingapparatus having a supply bin, a measuringhopper die posed therebeneath and connectablej there- With and a valvemember for controlling the 'iiowof material from the bin to the hopper,

the measuring hopper having a sect-ion out from its side Wall ad acentits point of connection with the supply bin to form a handhole'throughwhich access may be had to the valve member, means extending into saidopening from the inner face of the hopper Wall and against which thesection provided by the formation of the hand opening may be secured,and releasable latch means for securing said section in a positionclosing Said hand-hole opening.

In testimony whereofv I aiiix my signature.

MORGAN 3a. BUTLER I

